Soldier Boy
by mbriscoe99
Summary: Lu Ten's story. Add in an OC Yu Yan archer and we have ourselves a fic people! Rated for language, violence, alcohol references.
1. Chapter 1

**Here's a nice teaser for my new fanfic. I can't wait to explore Lu Ten's story and hope this prelude will whet everyone's appetite for Lu Ten's adventures. I've always wondered what Iroh's son would be like and what the events at the Siege of Ba Sing Se would do to shape his future. Iroh is probably my favorite character in the series because of his depth and complexity and hopefully I can bring some of that to this story. The royal family of the fire nation as a whole is, in my opinion, the group with the most mystery and thus the best fodder for exploratory fanfic authors like myself. So enjoy! And know that I don't own any charcters from ATLA. **

* * *

The soldier shrugged out of his pack as he reached the crest of the hill. The faintest gray smudge in the east was the only indication of the coming sunrise and he turned to face it. With a relaxed sigh, he eased his helmet off and set it beside his pack. Running his hand absently through his recently shorn hair, he settled back on his haunches and began loosening his padded leather armor, removing the bulky upper body equipment and undershirt until his bare skin puckered in the cool air of pre-dawn.

As pink began to wash the gray sky, he stood and faced the east. He settled into a deep back stance with simultaneous high and low knife-hand strikes. Holding his body in the strenuous, disciplined form, he closed his eyes. As he waited, he listened for the muted greetings of morning birds welcoming the sun, but only heard the occasional screech of the Fire Nation messenger hawks as they flew toward the vast camp a short distance to the west. Frowning slightly, the soldier slowly turned his focus inward, concentrating on his breathing. The slow burning of muscle began in his back leg and upper arms and he drew energy from that before switching sides. In moments, he felt the rays of the sun spread warmth across his face.

His eyes snapped open and simultaneously drawing the fire from his body and the sun, the Fire Nation soldier began moving through the basic fire-bending forms. Before long, steam rose from his shoulders and head as he worked through the movements. Short, controlled plumes of fire burst from his feet and fists in a staccato rhythm. As he worked his way through the forms, he built up momentum, a potential energy of fire that hummed through his body. A fierce grin split his lips as he savored the feeling of power.

The soldier reached the conclusion of the forms he knew, his energy culminating and coalescing into a sphere before him. His fingers spread and he gritted his teeth, grimacing as he strained to condense the flames into a continually decreasing volume of space. The air hummed and a bass rumble vibrated through his body as he forced more fire into the dense point before him.

In a small part of his mind, a voice that sounded strikingly like his father's admonished him for his experimentation; this much energy could easily backfire and kill him if he was not careful. However, he was nothing if not interested in exploring the limits of fire-bending power. New techniques would be needed if the Dragon were to conquer Ba Sing Se.

He squinted into the rising sun and sighted his target, a scorched hillside approximately 75 yards away, across a slight dip in the landscape. With determined control, his fingers massaged the sphere of energy before him and with a growling, forceful exhale, he released the ball. It flew straight to its target like a recoiling spring. In less time than it took to blink, a concussive force pulverized the hill, shredding earth and flora into unrecognizable bits. A second boom followed a heartbeat after the main explosion – the sound of his energy sphere releasing from his control catching up with the bombs incredible speed.

The soldier gasped for breath, suddenly exhausted. As he panted, he gathered his gear stumbled away from the site; someone on duty would be investigating the disturbance. As he dragged his undershirt over his head, he heard his name being called by one of the honor guard and sighed. He slung his leather chest guard and pack over his shoulder and grumbled his displeasure to himself as his name rang out over the scarred land.

"Prince Lu Ten! The General is looking for you!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Here we go! Just a few notes… it is pronounced AH ee ree… Check out my profile for the verses Iroh and Lu Ten are working on in the "Soldier Boy" poem; feel free to suggest new ones! I'll give credit!... P.O.D. = plan of the day… Again, I'm just kind of playing this by ear; I only have a vague idea of where we're going with this, keeping them short for now, will update and lengthen in the future, hit me up with errors pls!… Musical inspiration: "With Trees' by Korpiklaani, 'Into the Nothing' by Breaking Benjamin, 'Yesterday's Reprise" by Agathodaimon … Disclaimer=not my characters and some of Iroh's wisdom comes form the Tao Te Ching**

* * *

Lu Ten was still adjusting his forearm braces as he approached his father's command tent. Damn things had never fit right. Maybe he should make a short trip to the armory and –

He paused as liquid notes of the liuqin drifted languidly across the early morning breeze. It always amazed him that his warrior father could coax such tranquil sounds out of the simple instrument. He inhaled deeply as the music washed over him; his senses were always ultra-sensitive after his more intense fire-bending work and today was no exception. Standing just outside the entrance to the tent, he closed his eyes and let his head fall back. The timbre of Iroh's melody was haunting and Lu Ten could only marvel. He savored, the music provoking a visceral response that made the back of his neck prickle. Then, clearing his throat and hitching his trousers, he entered the tent.

A single candle burned on the table beside Iroh as he strummed the strings of the liuqin. Lu Ten came to attention in the dimness as his father finished the tune and set the instrument gently on the table. The older man stood and stretched with a great sigh accompanied by the creaking of his leather armor.

"My son!" boomed Iroh. Lu Ten winced. His temporary acute hearing, while a pleasant side-effect useful in music appreciation, did not extend to appreciating his father's overly exuberant morning vocalizations. But his father's charisma and honest affection was enough to have him hiding a smile.

"General." Lu Ten bowed, hiding his amusement behind formality. Iroh scoffed and clapped him heartily on the shoulder.

"Enough posturing, Lu Ten," Iroh said dismissively, feigned disapproval tingeing his tone. "Just because you took it into your fool head to enlist instead of taking your rightful commission as a royal does not mean that I should have to ascend to your lofty standards." Suddenly he smiled brightly. "So how do you like my new song?" he asked mischievously.

Lu Ten gave up as his father began shuffling scrolls and ink and piling it all in front of him.

"Father, I wanted to –"

"No, no! I am having trouble with these verses. You always had a good head for words!" Lu Ten sighed and sat down. He did not understand how his father could handle such a heavy mantle of responsibility and still maintain such an optimistic and vibrant take on life; the man was in a constant creative flux, especially when music was the medium of choice.

After arguing good-naturedly with his father on some verses of the song, a poignant composition about a young soldier going off to war incorporating heavy imagery and emotional tension, Lu Ten breached the subject of his morning's work.

"So, I made some progress on the Meteor Strike this morning," he said nonchalantly. He braced himself against the suddenly sharp golden gaze that seemed to suck all of the air out of the tent. The General did not speak for a time, and Lu Ten was beginning to shift uncomfortably before Iroh spoke, his voice deceptively soft.

"You are not ready for that technique and I have told you this many times before."

"I am able to perform it! I AM ready!"

Iroh's eyes narrowed even more.

"You are my son and I grant you certain leniencies. But must I remind you to whom you are speaking? I should not have to explain myself to you."

Lu Ten felt the blood leave his face. He had worked so hard, had enlisted so as to earn true respect from his future subjects. He did not want to ruin it with a stupid fight with his father. A fight that he had started with his willful disobedience. But still…

"Father," Lu Ten's voice was rife with both apology and repressed frustration as he moved to kneel at Iroh's knee. "You are right. But I cannot help it. I am SO close!" He bowed his head and felt his father's heavy palm cover his scalp.

"There are reasons that youth is restricted from power until true life experience is gained to help guide and redirect that power."

Lu Ten squeezed his eyes shut as Iroh continued,

"Inner strength is the master of all frivolities. Tranquility is the master of all agitated emotions. The wise cultivate inner strength and tranquility. And that is why they are not seduced by temptations. When you have proven to me that you are a master of your temptation, and not the other way around, then I can continue teaching you. Until then, my son, work hard. You are only twenty years old and already a brilliant engineer. Turn your focus to that and to our mission. High-level fire-bending will come in time."

Lu Ten rose to his feet, feeling somewhat dejected. In the logical portion of his mind, he understood that the power he wielded was potentially destructive and that it needed to be tempered by humility and self-discipline. On the other hand, his youthful energy and natural mischievousness demanded that he constantly push his boundaries and engage with his more primal and aggressive yearnings. Whoever said that the internal battle ended with the teen years was a damned liar.

He made a traditional bow to his father before placing his helmet back upon his head and replacing the face mask. As he walked out of the command tent, he was just another corporal moving about camp. Insignificant and, more importantly, generally unnoticed.

* * *

Airi's forearms and chest muscles screamed at her as she drew her bow for what seemed like the thousandth time that day. Normally, target practice did not bother her, but her platoon sergeant had ordered more physical training in preparation for her unit's mobilization. So, in addition to daily classes and bow work, the calisthenics and cardio training was being increased significantly.

She did not care, the Yu Yan were her life, her brothers and sisters in arms. She could not imagine any other military unit being more devoted, or more elite. Not one of them could fire-bend, but they were still one of the most dangerous groups in the Fire Nation military.

Airi's pale grey eyes narrowed in concentration as a fine tremble began in her wrists and traveled slowly up her arms to her shoulders, then her torso. With the determination of the truly strong willed, she controlled the fatigue and focused on the target. Three red-fletched training arrows were lined up on her bowstring and she let out a slow breath before releasing the string, briskly flicking her index finger minutely against the lowest arrow.

The power of the bow revealed itself in the almost immediate 'THWACK' of metal tips in wood further down the range. Lowering her bow, she put her hand to her forehead and grinned in satisfaction. The Inverted Triangle was an ostentatious bit of bow work, something she would never use in the battlefield due to excessive enemy movement, but it made for an impressive psychological war tactic if the opportunity ever arose to use it.

The archer next to her finished his shot, glanced at his target, then hers, and whistled in appreciation.

"Nice shot, Airi," he said, clapping her briefly on a sore shoulder. Airi hid her wince and shrugged modestly. A whistle blew and the archers went to retrieve their arrows and mark their shot books with the results of the exercise. Airi knelt at the base of her target, inked in her results, and blew gently on the scroll to dry the ink. Marking her official code name into the scroll, she handed her notes to the yeoman who was passing by, collecting the records of all the archers.

The Yu Yan master archers competed fiercely for top honors in the marksman classes and due to their security clearances, were expected to comply with the honor system when keeping their scores. It worked. Any archer caught cheating was often never heard from again. The Yu Yan were strict and sometimes ruthless. Being one of them did not exempt one from the mindset, rather, they held themselves to higher standards. But the rewards were entirely worth the brutal standards.

Airi sighed. The scribes collecting the books meant that practice was done for the day. She could not wait for a good stretching and soaking session. Her entire body felt like one of the earth-benders had pounded her between two boulders. She stood up to collect her arrows, admiring her handiwork one more time. This perfect shot would gain her a few extra points for promotion.

The Yu Yan archer pulled the three arrows out of the wood – one finger-think rod from each eye, and the third, slightly thicker arrow from the direct center of the throat.

* * *

"Corporal Qu Liang!" Lu Ten turned in answer to the cover name he had trained himself to respond to and snapped to attention as his platoon sergeant moved closer. The man reached out and punched Lu Ten good-naturedly in the shoulder. Lu Ten grinned and grabbed the man's forearm. Their metal braces clanked as they greeted each other and then Lu Ten fell into step beside Sergeant Jian.

"What's the plan for today, sergeant?" Lu Ten asked.

"Don't play games, Q," he said "I heard you disappeared again this morning."

The sergeant cocked an eyebrow up as Lu Ten scrambled for an excuse in his mind. Fortunately, Jian chuckled abruptly and shook his head in amazement.

"You really have a head for the hooch, my man,"

Lu Ten laughed, part true amusement and part relief surging through him. He was not sure which of the higher ranking officers knew about his true identity, so he played the part with everybody, never letting his guard down. It would not be the end of the world if he were discovered, but it would make it difficult for him resume his duties.

"I tell you, Jian, whoever thought it would be smart to distill alcohol from leechi nuts was an insane genius. I think my nose hairs are still singed from the fumes!" Jian guffawed and slapped Lu Ten's back.

"We'll have to try a different recipe next time, though. Don't think my head liked it too much. It's really complaining right now."

"Serves you right, you ugly hog-monkey. I think you got more of it than me."

The men eventually made it through a complete re-hash of the previous night's drinking escapades before reaching the engineering fields. Lu Ten held the flap of a largish tent open so the sergeant could step through.

"Thanks, Q, I always liked the subservient type," Jian said dryly.

"No problem, I always hold the door for my bitches," Lu Ten replied, then laughed as he ducked a quick burst of flame. Inside the tent, the two could indulge more freely in their friendship, away from the fraternization police. As sergeant and lead corporal of Alpha Company's Fifth Platoon, the two worked together more often than not, Jian receiving orders and delegating while Lu Ten, alias Qu Qiang, made sure his instructions were followed. Good-natured scuffling ensued, ending only when their movements threatened a teetering stack of glassware, tubes, and flame-holders.

"Oi, Q, watch the 'shine."

The two straightened their uniforms and eyeballed their distillery for problems before moving to a table in a corner covered in plans, orders, illustrations, and apparently random pages of scribbles. Shedding their more mischievous personas, the two worked through the paper stack, compiling Fifth Platoons P.O.D. for the next week.


	3. Chapter 3

Here we go. Musical inspiration…'I Will Not Bow' by Breaking Benjamin, 'Dancer in the Dark' the Rasmus, 'Abraxas' by Therion… As we all know, I do not own the ATLA characters, etc. etc. Thanks to my reviewers! It's all about you guys!

* * *

Airi held her position on the rooftop, bowstring pulled back to her cheek. Her body sang with tension as she leaned forward slightly to sight her target.

_Careful, don't raise your head_, she told herself.

Inhale…

Exhale…

Release.

The shot was perfect; her target dropped as gravity took hold. Whipping her hood over her head, she darted in the opposite direction as a flurry of shouts and activity developed on the streets below her. Sprinting nimbly across the rooftops, she unstrung her bow and stuffed the string in a pouch at her hip. The resulting stave was useful in both balancing herself and as a weapon. Moonlight made the dewy roof tiles glisten, making the footing somewhat treacherous. But as long as she was able to focus both on her immediate footing and plan out the next steps of her path she would be fine.

A whistling sound pierced the night just as an arrow clattered on the tiles just in front of her feet. She began to zigzag, not an ideal method of movement on the slippery, sloping roofs, but a better way to present a moving target to the unknown archer.

She leaped at the edge of a roof and used her momentum to grab an empty signpost and propel herself on top of stack of crates. Judging the distance and her speed, she tossed her stave javelin-style ahead of her, leapt from the crates, and landed on the street. Lessening the impact by tucking her chin and rolling on her shoulder, she somersaulted to her feet, grabbing her stave at the same time and continuing her sprint through the alleys.

Her rendezvous point was across the river and as she reached the docks, she heard the sounds of pursuit getting closer. When the sound of a sword being unsheathed was close enough for her to hear it, she turned mid-stride, falling agilely into a defensive stance as she parried the blow that had been meant for her neck. Hand-to-hand was not her strong suit, but she only needed to get to the river. She stabbed her first two fingers into the man's trachea and spun away from his comrade's swinging club, her hood falling away from her face.

"Ooooo! Look here, we got us a pretty one," leered the club swinger.

"Naaaa, the face tats don't do it for me," replied another, whirling a chain.

Airi backed up as three more caught up and fanned out around her. The downed man retched in the background but was ignored.

"S'okay," club-man said, "You can have her when I'm done with her. Won't matter much what she looks like then."

Beneath her adrenaline-induced hyperawareness, she was mildly annoyed that this was the card played by every male bully she faced.

_Seriously, is a little creativity too much to ask_, she thought.

She spun her staff in a slow circle before her, more to distract them than to do anything proactive; the alley behind her was her only way out. She wasn't sure if she could make the jump to the lowest set of handholds until inspiration hit her. Slowly, making it seem incidental, she began backing into the alley, darkness closing in as even the pale light of the moon was blocked out by the looming buildings. Until all she could see were the leering grins and malevolent eyes of the five men.

* * *

Lu Ten yawned and flicked a finger at the nearby candles. They flared to life and he realized just how dark it had gotten without his realizing it. Jiang winced and rubbed his eyes, smearing ink across his face. Both men stretched, careful not to smear their newest illustrations and calculations. The math was frustrating; there was simply no way they could get the catapults to launch anything with enough weight or force to penetrate the incredibly thick outer wall. His father wanted the wall to come down as a result of superior engineering, Lu Ten believed it would take superior fire-bending.

He ambled over to the darkened corner of the tent and rifled in the glassware. Finally producing a square-bottomed glass bottle, he brought it and two small glasses to the sergeant. Lu Ten poured an inch's worth into each glass and both men downed the clear liquid within.

"Whoa, hey! You're wasting our good stuff. Give me more," Jiang said, holding his glass out.

"Best agave in the Fire-Nation," Lu Ten agreed, indulging his sergeant.

After a couple rounds, he replaced the bottle and they left the tent, the afternoon's demanding work dissolving under a mildly pleasant relaxing sensation. Lu Ten placed his helmet on his head, mildly envious of Jiang's non-commissioned officer status that allowed him to go helmet-less outdoors while on duty. They made their way to the test fields, where the Fifth engineers were crawling around one of the prototype catapults.

"Ready for testing?" Jian called out as the men jostled into a haphazard formation.

The lead technician came forward to give the day's report as Lu Ten moved around the machine, inspecting. He sighed. It just wouldn't be possible. The amount of force required to bring the outer wall down would be phenomenal; it would be an impossible feat for the machinery to perform. As the activity continued around him, Lu Ten turned to squint at the distant wall looming above the landscape like a slumbering lion-turtle. Putting his hands on his hips, he glared at the thing.

His father was asking for the impossible. The earth-benders could rebuild the wall even if the machines could maintain a heavy, concentrated onslaught. It would take a single, powerful hit to destroy the wall and incapacitate the dirt grubbers long enough to get the army inside. Lu Ten believed an attack by air could work, but that technology was still in its infant stage.

A heavy creaking signaled the start of the catapult tests and he turned to join his engineers as the last rays of the sun slid from the sky, effectively hiding their actions from the watchers on the wall.

* * *

Airi grinned as the idiots followed her into the darkness of the alley. As the first one moved into striking distance she jabbed the butt of her stave hard into his solar plexus, the move practiced and lightning quick. The man dropped like a stone and retched loudly, frantic for the air she had driven from his lungs. The others attempted to surround her once again, discovering too late that by choosing to move into the alley, Airi had decreased the radius in which they could move. Their eyes were adjusting to the dark, but without even the weak light from the moon and stars, they had lost much of their ability to see any moves she might project.

_Morons_, she thought disdainfully.

She crept backwards, eyes darting constantly, looking for both her new escape route and an opening –

_**Crack!**_ Another ventured too close and went down under her stave, his orbital bone crushed; he did not make much noise as he writhed in silent agony on the ground in the dark.

As the remaining three stalked her, she spotted a pile of refuse just under a potential handhold in the wall. Turning, she darted towards the pile. Ignoring the shouts of alarm close behind her, she leapt. The stack wobbled precariously and crashed to the ground as she used her momentum to propel herself up the wall, just barely grabbing the inches of stone that jutted out from the wall.

Her feet scrabbled for purchase as she hurled herself up, feeling a hand just brush her ankle as she pulled herself onto the rooftop. Glimmers in the distance were the reflection of moonlight on the water and she grinned hard as she began to sprint again. She was closer than she thought.

The shouts of the thieves receded into the distance and she moved without restraint, neither seeing nor hearing any indication of further pursuit. She reached a warehouse built right to the edge of the river that she had scouted earlier in the day and moved unerringly to the point she had reconned as a good diving point.

Stave grasped firmly in her hand, she leapt without hesitation from the side of the building into the river, the water swallowing her into anonymity.


End file.
